Sale Sharks have tapped into the winning mindset of former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson ahead of the Premiership final on Saturday.
The club are preparing to face Saracens in English club rugby’s showpiece match this weekend, with the fixture taking place at Twickenham Stadium.
And it seems they are looking to gain any advantage they can in the lead-up to the meeting, as City A.M revealed they were given a talk from Ferguson.
Ferguson, 81, is a giant of football, having won 25 major titles in his period at Manchester United and has been to watch Sale play at home in the past.
According to City A.M, he spoke to the squad and also held one-to-one sessions, as Sale Sharks prepare for their first Premiership final since 2005/06.
𝘼 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 🐐…
Thank you Sir Alex 🤝. #SharksAreCircling | #MoreThanJustARugbyClub pic.twitter.com/ogItZIlpBo
— Sale Sharks 🦈 (@SaleSharksRugby) May 23, 2023
Sale will head into the fixture against the league’s table toppers as underdogs, with injuries to Dan du Preez and Ben Curry not helping their cause.
But anything can happen in finals rugby, and Alex Sanderson’s team will back themselves to end their domestic drought with George Ford at fly-half.
Sale qualified for the final after beating Leicester Tigers at the AJ Bell Stadium, while Saracens overcame Northampton Saints at the StoneX Stadium.
Sanderson praised by Mako Vunipola
Saturday’s fixture will see former Saracens coach Sanderson face off against his old side, and ahead of the match, Mako Vunipola lauded his ex-boss.
“Alex has been great for me. Before he’s a coach, he’s just a great person,” the England loosehead prop told Saracens’ official website before the game.
“When I was 17, he was the first to give me a chance to play at this level. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and you know that he feels everything on the field. That doesn’t take away from his ability as a coach and the detail he can put into a game.
“We know that Sale will be pumped, and a lot of what they put out on the field will be down to what he has put into it.”
He added on the challenge awaiting Saracens this weekend: “Sale have shown that they can stick with anyone, and they’ve dominated a lot of teams.
“We know it’s going to be a battle, and in any big game, physicality is huge. If you can’t get up for the final, you shouldn’t really be playing.”
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